Electric semaphore-signal for railways.



W. K. HoWB. ELECTRIC SEMAPHORB SIGNAL FOR RAILWAYS.

APPLIoATIoN-.mrm MAY ze. 1910.

Patented Mar. 5, 1912 c to@ w/n rop Howe UTED STATES ATENT @FFCEWINTHROP KEITH HOWE, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO `GIE'NE1L/.UlfRAIL- VJAY SIGNAL COMPANY, OF GATES, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEWYORK.

ELECTRIC .SEI/.[APHOR'E-SIGNAL FOR RAILWAYS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 5, i912.

Application filed May 26, 1910, Serial No. 563,493.

To a] Z 'zc/1,0m t may concern.'

Be it l-:nown that i. lViN'rnnor K. Howe, a citizen ot' the- UnitedStates, residing at Bottines-ter` county o't Monroe, 'and State of ewYork, hare invented certain new and useful Innn'oven'ients in ElectricSeniaphore- Signals tor Railways, ot which the following aspecification.

This invention relates to electric semaphore signals for railways.

One object ot' my inventionis to provide a niechanirnn which will insurethe return ot the semaphore arm from the proceed position to the stopposition when the electric energy is withdrawn. v

Much trouble has been experienced in the operation o't sei'naphoresignals by the occasional failure of the semaphore blade and spectacleto return by gravity to the stop or danger-indicating position after'the power employed to more it to the proceed posr tion has been removed.This is sometimes occasioned by the binding ot' the operating` shaft inits bearings, but is more frequently due to the collection ot sleet orice upon the exposed parts. i

it is the purpose ot my invention to insure the proper returninovementot' the semaphore parts under all circumstances whenever theoperating power carrying it to proceed "l position has been withdrawn.

For the purpose of lessening the opportunity tor the :ollection ot'sleet vor ice, I preterably inclos'e the spectacle portion in a casingand secure the semaphore blade tio the end ot a shatt projectingrthrough the casing. To overcome any binding' ot the operating shai't orany locking of the blade due to sleet or ice, l, provide means fordelivering a strong torsional hammer-blow upon the shalt carrying thespectacle and blade which will loe sutlicient to tree the operatingparte and s ,art themA under the action ot gravity.

My invention will be more cl x.arly understood troni the followingdescription, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhicln- Figure 1. is a vertical section through the casings, showing theoperating; parts ot a semaphore signal l'necl'ianisrn embodyingr myinvention; Fig. Q is a detail View of the parts designed to produce-thehammer blow to the shaft carrying the spectacle and blade; and

Fig. 3 is a diagram showing thenianner ot connecting the electricalcircnite.

The .spectacle casting l, carrying,l the red, green, and white disks orronndels`A Q, 3, Il, is mounted npon the operating shaft 6, and iscompletely inclosed in the asing 8, which is provided with oppositetransparent disks 9, which are illuminated by the lamp 10. One end otthe sha'lit G carries the semaphore binde l2. while the other end isoperatively eonnectwlto the motor mechanism, which is inclosed in asuitable casing The armature ,shaftlo of the operating electric motor17, carries a pinion 1S which meshes; with a gear V15), loosely mounted`upon the shaft 5 and connected therewith by means ot a' coiledspring.,T 20, one end of the spring` beine; secured to a lug Qi on thegear, and the other end to a lng, 22, projecting troni an arm Q3,rigidly mounted upon the shaft. llt will he apparent that the rotationof ho motor in the direction ot the arrow c will first cause the gear torotate in the direction ot the arrowo until the lug 21 moves troni theposition lshown in 'full lines to the dotted line pofsitiion, therebywinding up the coiled spring 20, and finally engaging the end of the armQ3. Further rotation ot' the motor arnmture causes the operating shaft(l to rotate and carry the spectacle and the semaphore blade to theposition indicating clear or to the proceed position.

rl"he inner end ot the shaft, (l carries an insulatingg'` disk 27,having' a contact strip QS tl'iereon. which engages the switch contactslor linggjers lt, except when the-parts have been moved to the proceedposition, at which time the contacte rest upon the insulation ot thedisk.

Ily referring to Fig. 2l, sliowing; the dialgrain ot circuits, wiil beobserved that when the contacts il() hear upon the strip 2S, the brakemagnet $72 is short-circnited and the brake lshoe ll is vtree trom thebrake dish Il-l. Villen. however, thc'contmts pass from the strip 2S andrest npon the insulat ing dist'. 2T, the magnet :BQ is energized andcauses' the brake shce 233 to engage the disk ill. l'this occursl whenthe semaphore blade and spectacle have been moved to the pro oecdposition by ine motor 17, at which time the brake holds the parts inposition and the current through the motor circuit net 32 inserted inseries therewitl When the current is cut off, as by the short-circuitingof the signaling current by means of thewheels and axles of a car ortrain entering the block-section, both the brake magnet 32 and the motor17 will be denergized, and the parts, z'. e., the spectacle casting 4,semaphore blade 12, and arm 23 on shaft 6, being entirely unrestrained,vwill move under the action of gravity and in the direction indicated bythe arrow b to danger po sition,. the gear 19', with the lug 2l thereon,making a corresponding movement in the same direction. If, however, theparts are held by ice or slcet, as previously explained, the rotation ofthe gear under action of the spring 20 in the direction indicated by thearrow Z) will, cause the lugl 2l to impart a hamvmer blow to the arm 23,the shock of the.

imp act breaking up the ice and sleet conf nection. From the above itwill be seen that -the hammer blow is only imparted in case the freedomof movementof the shaft 6 is restrained.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I have reducedto a minimum the danger of any failure of the semaphore to return todanger position from the proceed position, the several features of myinvention contributing to this result. By separating the blade from thespectacle and inclosing the latter in a casing, the surface exposed. tosleet and ice is very materially reduced, and providing for the deliveryof a sudden blow to the operating shaft in the event of any restraint,the chances of failure in the operation of the signal are practicallyeliminated.

I have described somewhat; in detail the particular constructionillustrated in the drawings, but it will be evident to engineers thatvarious changes may be made therein Without departingr from the spiritof my invention.

I therefore claim:

l. In a semaphore signal, a shaft carry` ing a semaphore blade, meansfor actuating. said shaft and blade against the action of gravity andmeans for imparting a hammer blow to said shaft in the direction of theaction of gravity when said lirst named means is not acting.

2. In a semaphore signal, operating parts, means for 'storing energyduring the normal parts on movement of the operating parts thereof,

is decreased by the resistance of the magand means for causing saidstored energy to deliver a sudden blow to the .partswhen restrained byextraneous means.

3. In a semaphore signal, a shaft carrying a semaphore blade, operating'mechanism therefor, means for storing 'energy during the normalmovement of said mechanism and means for causing said stored energy todeliver a sudden blow to the shaft when the same is restrained byextraneous means.

4. In a semaphore signal, a shaft ing a semaphore blade, operatingmechanism therefor, means intermediate said mechanism and said shaft forstoring energy during the normal movement of said mechanism, and meansfor causing said stored energy to deliver a sudden blow to the shaftwhen the same is restrained by eX-' 75 traneous means.

5. In a' semaphore signal, a shaft carry ing a semaphore blade, a motorfor moving said blade to clear position, a brake device to hold theparts in said position, means for storing energy, and means for causingsaid stored energy to deliver a hammer blow to the operating parts uponthe release ofl the brake, when said sliaft is restrained from freemovement.

6. In combination with a semaphore signal, means for moving the signalagainst the action of gravity and means for imparting a blow in thedirection of lthe action ofl gravity whenV said signal is free to moveunder the action of gravity.

7 In combination with a semaphore signal blade, means for moving saidsignal against the action of gravity, means for holding said blade in adefined position and means for imparting to said signal a blow in thedirection of the action of gravity when said holding means is released.

8. In combination with a semaphore signal, a shaft therefor, a lug onsaid shaft, means for rotating the shaft and for moving the signalagainst the action of gravity and means for imparting a hammer blow tosaid lug to thereby assist gravity to move the signal to its normalposition;` A 105 In testimony whereof, I ailix my signature, in thepresence of two witnesses.

WINTHROI KEITH ,H OW'E.

Witnesses:

H. M. Srnnnr, M. A. ONEILL.

carry-

